Our forefathers brought forth this nation conceived in John Locke’s Biblically based philosophy of liberty and government. Again Americans are challenged with whether government of, by, and for the People shall endure.

Portrait of John Locke. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Locke’s philosophy of government supported the rule of law founded on the Law of Nature’s God (the Bible and God’s gift to men of reason) instead of arbitrary and abusive rule by men. He believed in the principles of representation and equal justice, religious liberty, and most of all the basic God-given rights to “Life, Liberty, and Property” that we have come to take for granted. These fundamental rights were written into our early states’ Declarations of Rights with Locke’s words from his Treatises of Government quoted almost verbatim in our Declaration of Independence upon which the U.S. Constitution and our essential Bill of Rights are grounded. These principles and their real time application are the building blocks for the restoration needed now.

John Locke was actively involved in bringing about English liberty. According to Thomas Jefferson, Locke was one of the three greatest men that ever lived. His political philosophy was studied widely and put into practice in Colonial America. Locke showed where the limits of legitimate civil governmental authority should be to guarantee freedom. He reasoned that the purpose of government is based on voluntary covenants between individuals for the mutual protection of their inalienable right to property, which begins with the individual life and liberty essential to productivity, followed by the right to enjoy the fruits of those labors without fear that the government will confiscate personal property.

David Barton of WallBuilders in his Foreword writes, “Mary-Elaine Swanson has done an invaluable service for this and subsequent generations by resurrecting awareness and presenting an accurate knowledge of John Locke and his writings…through an uncensored view of his life, writings, and his incalculable influence on America. This book will help Americans understand the importance of Locke’s thinking for American constitutionalism today.”